Wheel.



Patented Mar. 25, |902.

C. L. H 0 R A C K W H E E L.

(Application filed AugY 3, 1898.)

(No Model.)

i lUNTTnp STATES aTnNT Fries.

CHARLES Ii. HORACK, OF NEWv YORK, N. Y.

lNHEEL.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,934, dated March25, 1902. Application filed August 3.1898. Serial Nol 687,588. (llomodel.)

T0 all?, whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. HoRAoK, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, in the countyof Kings and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vheels, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention refers to wheels to be attached to all kinds of vehicles,and more particularly to wheels for cycles.

The objects of my invention are to provide for the construction ofwheels with rims, consisting of parts that may be assembled readily andwithout the use of complicated tools or machineryand when so assembledshall form a strong and simple structure in which the material shall beemployed to good advantage and possessing a proper degree of elasticity,and which rims may be made to comprise a pneumatic cushion with improvedtire, requiring a small quantity of rubber, but serving to inclose alarge body of air and capable of being inflated in usual manner.

A further object is to construct a wheel with two rims capable ofrelative displacement with regard to each other, so as to be able towiden or narrow the wheel-base, as circumstances may require, and tohold said rims firmly in such varying relative positions.

I accomplish these and other useful objects by the means hereinafterdescribed, and ,set forth more particularly in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, andwherein like letters of reference refer to corresponding parts, Figurelis a side elevation of a wheel embodying all the features of myinvention, the upper half of said figure illustrating the conditionexisting when the rims are placed as far apart as is practicable in thestructure illustrated, while the lower half illustrates the conditionexisting when the two rims are placed as close together as practicable.Fig. 2 is an end view of the wheel, the two rims being placed closetogether; and Fig. 3, a top view of the same, the two rims being placedin a position intermediate between those illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. ashows cross-sections of the two rims, the section through the left-handrim being placed along line 4 a and the section through the right-handrim along line 4X X in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an inside view of portions ofthe two rims placed close together and of the means employed for holdingthe same in proper relative positions, one of the rims and theconnecting means being also shown in broken lines in other positionswhich they may be made to assume. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly insection, of yoke YX and adjoining parts, as shown in the upper part ofFig-l, while Fig. 7 is a section in a plane through the points wheresaid yoke connects with said rims and with the interior wheel or hub.Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the outerpoi tion of a wheel employing onlya single rim and tire, which embodies some features of my invention.Figs. 4 and 5 are drawn to about four times and Figs. 6 and '7 to abouttwice the scale employed iu Figs. l, 2, and 3.

My improved wheel, having two rims adjustable with reference to eachother, is particularly applicable in connection with cycles when theground is wet, so as to make wheels of cycles slip thereon, particularlywhen turning curves and it becomes desirable to provide a widerwheel-base. This I accomplish by the following means: The wheel Acomprises a central section B, serving as a hub and constructed as awheel and shown here to have a rim C, preferably made of Wood, and wirespokes D. The outer rim of wheel A is divided vertically, so as toconsist of two annular members kll and E2, substantially symmetricallyarranged with reference to the central longitudinal plane of said wheel.These members are attached to rims C by yokes Y, their central portionsbeing held to said rim by screw-bolts F,also passing through washers Gand holsters H, the latter preferably made elastic, and are held tomembers E and E2 by screws I, entering into proper sockets, as v7 i2, onmember E', and screws I2, entering into sockets and 4 on member E2.These sockets are so placed that by alternately attaching the ends ofyokes Y to different combinations of sockets the yokes may be made toassume different angles with reference to the plane between the twomembers E and E2, and thereby said two members may be secured at suchdistances from each other as may be desired, thus increasing thewheel-base accordingly.

In Fig. 5, Y indicates the directionv of the yoke when attached tosockets t" and 4, while IOO Y in broken lines shows the direction ofthe' yoke when attached to sockets i12 and 712, and Y2, also in brokenlines, shows its position when either attached to sockets c" and- 113 or112 and fi". Successive yokes Y should be placed staggering, so as tothoroughly brace the members of the wheel-rim -with reference toV eachother and rim C and prevent narrowing or spreading of the wheel-base.Said members are provided on their inner faces with ro ections c' andcorres ondin y recesses e2 so that when placed in adjoining positions,as

illustrated in Fig. 4. they will interlock.

Members E and E2, as well'as the rim of the wheel, (illustrated in'Fig'. 8,) are each shown to be constructed of annular sections detach'a'bly joined together for the purpose of readily attaching and detachingproper tires and inspecting and replacing part of 'said rims.

Referring first to members E and E2, in

Figs. l to 7, inclusi ve, the sa'me consist,chiey,

of annular side portions J' and J2, made of sheet' metal, inner annularportion K and outer such portion L, made of wood, anderably with rightand left screw-thread at 'L their ends, passing through tire M and partsJ', J2, and L, and similar screw-bolts, as O2, passing through parts JJ2 K and rubber band.v N, the outer members J' being' curved outward ingeneral,but provided with straight yflanges, through which the boltspass. kP

represents one of a series-of studs on the inner surface of member E',entering into corresponding sockets, as P2, on the inner sur' face ofmember E2, said sockets being-preferably provided with spring-jaws. Bymeans of these studs and sockets the members forming the wheel-rims canbe brought into and maintained in their proper relative positions untilscrew-bolts O and O2 can be properly secured. Inner annular portions Kcontain the sockets i', i2, i2, and 4, vto which yokes Y are secured. V'and V2 are pneumatic valves in members J2 for forcing air into thewheelrims,annular members L being provided with perforations Q atintervals, so as to apply the air-pressure to the interiors of tires M.It will be seen that under my construction only the joints between partsJ and J2 and tire M and bolster N need to be made airtight. This is doneby tightening bolts O and O2 and employing cement in addition, ifdesired. Said bolts will also prevent creeping of the tire alongadjoining members. Outer annular member L is recessed on its outersurface, and into such recess extends a rib R on tire M, which is soforked along its inner edge that when a given compression-- say aquarter of an inch of the tire-has taken place both prongs r and r2 ofsaid forking part will contact with the recessed part of member L whenthe com pressionV is vertical, while if the same is Awholly or partlylateral only one of said prongs will so contact. This constructionpermits of making the tire comparatively light and of using ittemporarily, even'after puncturing has taken place.

The spokes of interior wheel B, I preferably make elastic, slantingoutward from rim C Vtoward its hub b, so as to add to the strength andstability of the whole structure, which 'is important, particularly whenrims E and E2 are placed apart. By having asingle hub jointly for thetwo .rims El` and E2 the necessity of duplicating the ball-bearings,which would otherwise arise, is obviated.

In Fig. 8 corresponding annular membersY J", JY, Kx, and Lx, but allindicatedV to be made of wood, paper, or the like, are assembled insimilar manner with a tire MIF and two rubber holsters Nx and NY, themeans fory joining the same together consisting of radial bolts S,passing through members KX and Lx, and an interior bracing-tube T, whichtube also has lateral arms t and lf2, passing through members Jx and Jyand serving as bolts'holding said members in place. As'fthis wheel- `rimis not designed to be subjected torpneumatic pressure, I use tworubber-bolstersNx and NYin place of band N above referred to.

I claim-- l. In a'wheel, the combination with a hub,

of two rims, each provided with a proper bear' Ying-surface, means forconnecting saidllub with said rims,l and mechanism for varying:

the distance'between saidbearing-surfaces.

2. In a wheel, the combination with a'hub,

of two rims, each provided with aexible tire,

means for connecting said hub with said rims,

and mechanism for varying the relative po- Y sitions of said rims. Y I

3. The combination with two wheel-rims, of a hub and continuous bracessecured to said rims and attached to said hub, and means for varying therelative positions of said braces and said rims.

4. The combination with two wheel-rims, of a support for said rimsconstructed as a Wheel comprising a hub, a rim and intermediate spokes,and adjustable connections between said rims and said wheel.

5. The combination with two wheel-rims, one adapted to be revolved withreference to the other, of a hub, and means interposed between said huband said rims for confining the latter in varying relative positions.

6. The combination with two wheel-rims one adapted to be revolved and tobe displaced laterally with reference to the other, of a hub, and meansinterposed between the hub and said rims for confining the latter inproper relative positions.

7. The combination with two wheel-rims, of a hub, braces interposedbetween the rims and the hub, and means for attaching such braces atoblique angles relative to the longitudinal planes of said rims.

8. The combination with two wheel-rims,

ICO

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of a hub, braces interposed between the rims and the hub, and means forattaching said braces at varying angles relative to the lon gitudinalplanes of said rims.

9. The combination with two wheel-rims, of a hub, and braces attached tothe rims and the hub, and means for attaching alternate braces atoblique angles relative to the longitudinal planes of said rims,intermediate braces being placed staggering with reference to saidalternate braces.

10. The combination with two whee1-rims, of a hub, braces secured-tosaid rims and said hub, elastic holsters and means for interposing thesame between said hub and said braces.

11. The combination with two wheel-rims, of a hub, means for adjustingsaid rims at varying relative positions, and contact portions on saidrims adapted -to interlock.

12. In a wheel-rim, the combination with two annular members adapted tobe adjusted in a lateral direction, of a suitable tire, and proper staysbetween said members.

13. In a wheel-rim, the combination with two annular members adapted tobe adjusted in a lateral direction of a suitable tire and independentstays between the upper portions and between the lower portions of saidmembers.

14. In a wheel, the combination with a rim, comprising two uprightannular metallic members and lateral stays between the same capableofrelative adjustment,combined with a hub and proper connections betweenrim and hub.

15. In a wheel-rim, the combination of a series of the members formingthe same arranged in a continuous U-shaped body, with an elasticmembrane interposed between portions of three such members and placedbetween the branches of said U-shaped body.

16. In a wheel-rim the combination with a continuous body of U-shapedcross-section comprising three annular members, of a continuous membraneinterposed between said three members and forming with the same a bodyof annular cross-section.

17. In a wheel-rim, the combination with two rigid vertical members, ofan interior and an exterior elastic member each interposed between saidrigid members,the four members inclosing an air-space, and proper staysfor maintaining said members in position.

1S. In a wheel-rim, the combination with two rigid upright members andan inner and an outer lateral member interposed between the same, of aninner and an outer iieXible member-interposed between the uprightmembers and together with the same inclosing an air-space.

19. In a wheel-rim, the combination with two rigid upright members andan inner and an outer lateral member interposed between the same, of aninner and an outer flexible member interposed between the uprightmembers and together with the same inclosing an air-space, and aniniiating-valve.

20. In a wheel, the combination with its hub, of a hollow rim and aflexible tire jointly inclosing an air-space, and a continuous liexiblemembrane between the portion of the rim to which said stays are attachedandthe airspace between rim and tire.

2l. In a wheel-rim, the combination with two lateral members and twointerposed npright members, of independent detachable securing means forholding one of the upright members to other members of the rim.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 1st day of August, A. D. 1898.

CHARLES L. HORACK.

Vitnesses HoMnn R. SCOVILLE, W. FARRINGTON.

